Introduction
Wellington region centres on its capital city, with the Kapiti Coast's beaches and island sanctuary as the region's one genuinely separate extension.
Discover Wellington
The Kapiti Coast runs along the sea roughly 45 minutes north of Wellington city, a string of beach towns (Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Otaki) that function partly as Wellington commuter towns and partly as their own low-key beach destination. Offshore, Kapiti Island is a predator-free nature reserve — introduced pests were eradicated over decades of dedicated work — that now shelters bird species rare or extinct on the mainland, including the takahē, once thought extinct itself until a small population was rediscovered in the 1940s, and the little spotted kiwi. Access requires a permit and a guided boat crossing rather than independent visits, a deliberate limit that protects the sanctuary's conservation value.
Ways to Experience This Destination
Beach towns north of Wellington, plus a predator-free island sanctuary reachable by permit and guided boat, home to the takahē and little spotted kiwi.
Frequently asked questions
Cities in Wellington
Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.